Oil well fire extinguisher apparatus



Aug. 23, 1960 w. M. PACE OIL WELL FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 30, 1959 WILLIAM M. PACE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1960 w. M. PACE OIL WELL FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS Filed Jul 30' 1959 2 Sheet 2 w M M M M L um W" FIG. 7

OIL WELL F EXTINGUISHER APPARATUS William M. Pace, General Delivery, Harrah, kla., assignor to Hazel L. Conner, Oklahoma City, @kla.

Filed July 30, 1959,'Ser. No. 830,505

6 Claims. (Cl. l6679) The present invention relates to oil field equipment and more particularly to a fire control apparatus for oil and gas wells.

It is well understood that when an oil or gas well is accidentally ignited it is diflicult to bring the well under control. Fire control of the burning well is particularly diflicult where the volume of oil or gas produced by the well is relatively large because of the intense heat generated. Many times a heavy producing oil or gas well, when it catches fire, melts the derrick or other structures around the upper end of the well casing, thus destroying any and all equipment necessary for handling fire controlling apparatus. Heretofore one frequently employed method of fire control comprised removal of all superheated steel from the immediate vicinity of the burning Well and the placing of an explosive charge adjacent the upwardly open end of the well casing. This explosive charge, when detonated, snufls out the flame by separating or parting the gas or oil from the flaming portion. Thereafter it is only necessary to shut in the wild well. The above procedure, while effective, takes considerable time and involves a relatively high expense both from the experienced personnel necessary and the waste of oil or gas burned.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a portable apparatus for fire control of oil and gas wells.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by which the flame of a burning oil or gas well may be snuffed out without the use of explosives or the like.

Still another object is to provide an apparatus which may be positioned over a well location Without the removal of all scrap iron or steel before putting out the fire.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is rigid in construction and has a relatively long useful life when repeatedly used in putting out oil well fires.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by providing a substantially A-frame structure mounted on spaced-apart parallel skids. A plug block, having a plurality of conical shaped members, is supported, adjacent the vertex of the A-frame, by a cable extending toward the remote end of the skids and wound on a drum. Cables connected with the A-frame and the skids permits remote control of the apparatus in moving the same toward and over a well location. Release means associated with the drum releases the plug block for engagement with the upwardly open end of a well casing.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying two sheets of drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the device adjacent a well location;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device, per se;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the device;

I raise Patented Aug. 23,1960

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the plug block on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the plug block in inverted position;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and,

Figure 7 is a rear end elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the cable winding drum mounted on a fragment of the supporting brace.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates the device as a whole, comprising an upright A-frame structure 12 supported by a pair of horizontal skids 14 and 16 which extend outwardly of the depending ends of the A-frame a selected distance. Horizontal cross-braces 18, 20 and 22, rigidly interconnect the skids l4 and 16 in parallel spaced-apart relation. Obviously additional cross-braces may be added for rigidity, if desired. The A-frame 12 includes a pair of upwardly converging legs 24 and 26 interconnected adjacent their upper ends by an arcuate upwardly bowed top member 28. Angularly disposed brace membersitil and 32 are connected with the A-rrame leg member 24 and the skid 14. Similarly, brace members 34 and 36 are connected with the A-frameleg member 26 and the skid 16. The spacing between the depending ends of the A-frame legs 24 and 26 and the skids 14 and 16 may be varied as desired but is preferably a distance which will easily span a substantial portion of a well location indicated by the numeral 41) having an upwardly open end portion of a casing 42 projecting thereabove. The height of the A-frame struc ture may be varied as desired but is preferably at least 16 feet above the surface of theearth, indicated by the line 44. The respective opposing ends of the skids are each turned arcuately upward in sled runner fashion, as at 17.

A pair of upstanding supports 46 and 48 are connected in spaced-apart parallel relation to the horizontal brace 22. A pair of braces 50 and 52 extend between the respective upper ends of the supports and the brace 20. A cable drum 54 is journaled between the supports 46 and 43 on a horizontal axle 56 extending axially through the drum. A lever 58, pivotally connected to a boss 60, connected to the support 46, operates a locking pin 62, connected to the depending end of the lever, and removably engaged by a recess 64 in the adjacent end of the drum. A cable 66 has one end portion secured to the drum 54 and wound around the periphery thereof a plurality of times. The opposing free end of the cable extends between the drum '54 and the A-frame and "is entrained over a pulley means 68 connected in depending relation to the fixed member 28.

A plug block 70 is connected to the free end of the cable 66. The plug block 70 is preferably of cube shape and a relatively large side; for example, approximately 4 feet each way. The block 70 is preferably formed of concrete and includes 'a plurality of integral depending conical shaped members 72, preferably arranged to define a square, and having an upper or base end of a size which will be at least equal to or greater than the inside diameter of the well casing 42. Reinforcing rods 74, substantially square in cross section, extend vertically through the block 70 and each member 72, respectively. A central depending cone shaped member 76 is provided with a reinforcing rod 78 and which projects centrally upward through the upper surface 80 of the block and is arcuately curved to form a closed loop 82, projecting upwardly of the block, for engagement with the free end of the cable 66. The depending ends of the reinforcing rods 74-and 78 are each formed with a sharpened or tapered point for the purposes which will presently be apparent.

Operation .centrally secured to the brace 22. Power means such as tractors, not shown, are connected to the remote ends of the cables 84 and 86 and the device is pulled toward the well location 40. When the A-frame of the device is positioned substantially directly above the well casing 42, the lever 58 is moved in the direction of the arrow 90 to release the locking pin 62 which releases the drum 54 and cable 66 wound thereon. The block 70 then falls, by gravity, toward the well casing 42 where one of the depending cone shaped members 72 or 76 enters the bore of the casing 42, completely closing the latter. The tapered ends of the reinforcing rods 74 and 78 guides the .respective cone shaped member for entering the casing. The mass of the block 70 is great enough to resist oil and gas released under pressure by the well.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended -claims.

I claim:

1. A fire control apparatus for oil or gas wells, including: a portable A-frame having a fixed top member; spaced-apart horizontal skids rigidly connected with the depending end portions of the legs of said A-frame', a pulley centrally carried by said fixed top member; spacedapart upstanding supports carried by said skids remote .from said A-frame; a cable drum journaled between said .upstanding supports; a cable wound on said drum and having its free end portion entrained over said pulley; a plug block supported adjacent said pulley by the free end portion of said cable, said plug block having a plurality of depending conical-shaped members each adapted to enter and close the upwardly open end portion of a well .casing; and means for releasing said drum to drop said plug block.

2. A fire control apparatus for oil and gas wells, including: a portable A-frame structure adapted to straddle a portion of a well location, said A-frame having a fixed top member; spaced-apart interconnected elongated horizontal skids rigidly connected with the depending end portions of the legs of said A-frame and extending beyond the latter; a pulley centrally carried in depending relation by said fixed member; spaced-apart upstanding supports connected with said skids remote from said A-frame; a cable receiving drum journaled between said upstanding supports; a cable wound on said drum and having its free end portion entrained over said pulley; a plug block supported adjacent said pulley by the free end portion of .said cable, said plug block having a plurality of depend ing conical-shaped members each adapted to enter and close the upwardly open end portion of a well casing; and means for releasing said cable to drop said plug block.

3. A fire control apparatus for oil and gas wells, including: a portable A-frame structure adapted to straddle a well location, said A-frame having a fixed top member; horizontal frame-work connected with the depending end portions of said A-frame, said frame-work including a pair of skids for moving said A-frame over the surface of the earth; a pulley centrally carried in depending relation by said fixed member; spaced-apart upstanding supports carried by said horizontal frame-work remote from said A-frame; a cable receiving drum journaled between said supports; a cable wound on said drum and having its :free end portion entrained over said pulley; a plug block supported adjacent said pulley by the free end portion of said cable, said plug block having a plurality of depending conical-shaped members each adapted for entering and closing the upward open end portion of a well casing; and means for releasing said cable to drop said plug block.

4. A fire control apparatus for oil and gas wells, including: a portable A-frame structure adapted to straddle a well location and extend upwardly thereabove a substantial distance, said A-frame having a fixed top member; a pulley supported in depending relation by said fixed top member; horizontal skids connected with the depending end portions of said A-trame and extending beyond the limits of the latter; horizontal brace members rigidly interconnecting said skids in parallel spaced-apart relation; spaced-apart upstanding supports connected with said brace members adjacent the end of said skids remote from said A-frame; a cable receiving drum journaled between said supports; a cable connected at one end with and wound on said drum, said cable extending between said drum and said pulley and having its free end portion on trained over the latter; a plug block supported adjacent said pulley by the free end portion of said cable, said plug block having a plurality of depending conical-shaped members each adapted for entering and closing the upwardly open end portion of a well casing; and means for releasing said drum and said cable to drop said plug block.

5. A fire control apparatus for oil and gas wells, including: a portable substantially A-frame structure adapted to straddle a well location and extend upwardly thereabove a substantial distance; a pulley supported in depending relation by the apex of said A-frame; horizontal skids connected with the respective depending end portions of the legs of said A-frame and extending beyond the limits of the latter; horizontal brace members rigidly interconnecting said skids in parallel spaced-apart relation; spaced-apart upstanding supports connected with said brace members adjacent one end of said skids; a cable receiving drum journaled between said supports; a cable connected at one end with and Wound on said drum, said cable extending between said drum and said pulley and having its free end portion entrained over the latter; a concrete plug block supported adjacent said pulley by said cable, said plug block having a plurality of depending o conical-shaped members each adapted for entering and closing the upwardly open end portion of a well casing; flexible means connected with said A-frame and said skids for remotely controlling the movement thereof toward the well location; and means for releasing said drum and said cable to drop said plug block on the well casing.

6. A fire control apparatus for oil and gas wells, including: a portable rigid A-frame structure mounted on spaced-apart parallel skids, said A-frame structure being adapted to straddle a well location and project upwardly a substantial distance thereabove; a pulley supported in depending relation by the apex of said A-frame structure; spaced-apart upstanding supports connected with said skids remote to the A-frame portion; a cable receiving drum journaled between said supports; a cable having one end portion wound on said drum and having its op- I posing end portion entrained over said pulley; a reinforced concrete plug block supported by said cable adjacent said pulley, said plug block having a plurality of depending reinforced substantially conical-shaped members adapted for entering and closing the upwardly open end portion of a well casing; flexible means connected with said A- frame structure for remote control of the movement of the latter toward a well location; and means for releasing said drum to lower said plug block into contact with the upwardly open end of a well casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5,358 Wightman Nov. 6, 1847 1,888,621 Collins Nov. 22, 1932 1,938,009 Collins Dec. 5, 1933 2,026,844 1 Minahan Jan. 7, 1936 2,082,216 Patton June 1, 1937 

